According to the facts presented in court, Lewis, a food vendor who operates from a van along River Road, St Michael, was approached by a female who began conversing with her about a sick mother.

Lewis also noticed a man standing nearby.

The women then stated that she wanted to purchase a bottle of water, which caused Lewis to shut the rear door of the van, leaving the bag on the rear seat.

Lewis then went to the back of the van to get the water from the cooler, but the woman said she was no longer interested in making the purchase. It was at that time that Lewis heard the rear door being opened and saw a man removing the bag containing the money and running off with it.

When Lewis looked around, the woman was gone.

“Honestly I can’t say nothing,” Jones told the District “A” Magistrates’ Court today as he stood in the prisoners’ box.